Most recently a general manager in Microsoft's developer and platform evangelism team, Bernard's new job is "defining and implementing a global strategy for the company's environmental efforts." He'll report to Scott Charney, corporate vice president of Microsoft's Trustworthy Computing (TwC) Group within the Core Operating System Division.

Microsoft said in an e-mail this afternoon that it created the new position "to assess the company's environmental impact and opportunities at all levels, including: working with product groups to create technology innovations in software and hardware that can help enable customers to minimize their impact on the environment, assuring responsible business practices that work to reduce the company's direct and indirect environmental impact, and working with partners in industry, government and non-government to engage on global environmental issues."

Bernard worked with the Clinton Foundation to develop a tool to measure cities' greenhouse gas emissions, something former President Bill Clinton talked about during his recent stop at the Microsoft campus. Bernard also has experience in construction and building management, which will come in handy when assessing the environmental impact of the company's growing physical footprint.